The Snake's Winter
by Nymeria29
Summary: What happens when the Slytherin prince and the mudblood brightest witch of their age are coincidentally in all the same classes and paired in most of them. How does Draco manage to face Hermione and apologize before they get forcefully shoved together. Will she return his feelings or will she return to the books in which she hides behind.


**Prologue- A Long time ago:**

 _"Mother can I speak with you?" The young Draco asked after arriving home for summer vacation. Narcissa Malfoy blinked her eyes in a slight confusion but silently agreed and fallowed her son to the garden out of earshot of the elder Malfoy whom was reading a book in the den._

" _What is it sweet?" Narcissa asked in a motherly tone._

" _I like this girl at school, but I know for a fact that father wouldn't approve. What I want to talk about is would you still love me if I someday married her?" Draco asked with the utter most tension behind his question._

" _Draco, you are so young, and I will always love you no matter what, but why would your father not approve of this young lady." Narcissa asked in astonishment partly because her 12-year-old son is showing interest in girls and partly because it's a girl he felt they wouldn't approve of._

" _Is she in Gryffindor?" Narcissa asked with a sly smile because she really didn't care about house lineage at all and found it silly that Draco thought she wouldn't love him over that._

 _Draco shook his head and began to speak. "It's not that…" He pauses and thought about what he was about to say._

" _Well; tell me dear, you know I will always love you." Narcissa said getting impatient with her son._

" _I just don't want to be disowned like Andromeda and Nymadora." Draco said in shame and Narcissa's anxiety level went up. She obviously didn't know how to answer because she was quiet for a long while._

" _Is this about the Granger child you go on about?" she asked suddenly. Draco just nodded his head and Narcissa put on a grim face that made the child think about taking back everything he said._

" _I will always love and accept your decisions even if I don't agree with him" she stood by her word, but Draco could tell she defiantly was referring to his decision to like Hermione. His then emotions for the witch went to the supress portion of his brain. This wasn't a good thing because his supressed emotions will later lead to words and actions he will likely regret. His mother and him didn't talk about that subject for the rest of the summer._

…

 _Draco and Theodor were walking around the corner when they heard their fathers talking about Theo's dad's new discovery of a new evil artifact. They hid behind the corner and began to eavesdrop "Lucius, I think I may have found a way to bring the dark lord back."_

" _How do you suppose that will happen Knott?" Lucius said in his usual annoyed tone._

" _Have you ever heard about Horcux's?" Knott said in a tone like he was talking about the most wonderous event in history._

" _Yes, I have heard of the term Horcrux. Don't tell me this is yours, that's rather eerie." Lucius said in a semi surprised tone. Draco knew this is about as much surprise as his father was capable of._

" _No, no, no. This is much more important, it's the dark lord's first Horcrux! I got a tip from Rodolphus Lestrange when he wrote to me from Azkaban. I thought that it wasn't real until it wrote to me, the dark lord himself showed me through the book to see." And with that sentence they seen a flash of light and they went around the corner and their fathers where gone._

 _It seemed like forever but in reality, it was a mere 10 minutes that the two men were gone but when they got back, and the light flashed the boys scrambled up in anticipation._

" _So now you see Lucius the dark lord needs you to do his bidding and if you don't when he comes back he'll come with a vengeance. I cannot assure you that your perfect blonde prat of a son will be safe. No one will really. Not you, your wife or you child." Said Mr. Knott_

" _I understand already have a plan to get the book to Hogwarts, so they can open the chamber of secrets" Lucius stressed and with that Mr. Knott exited seeing Draco and Theodor standing in the hallway._

" _Come Theo, you'll see Draco another time." And with that the two Knott males left. Draco used that time to quickly make his way to the library on the floor above his father's study. He pulled out history books on Hogwarts and dark art books he knew his father obtained illegally. He spent the entirety of the afternoon researching this "Chamber of Secrets" and what he acquired was very little, but he knew that it was a chamber that the air of Slytherin left behind that held a beast who longs to kill mudbloods._

 _Draco was feeling mixed emotions as he sat at the dinning table that evening he looked at his father with disgust and disgrace. He didn't understand how his father would be okay with unleashing a creature that would without a bout unleash mass murder upon the school. The school his only son and heir went to but, not only that putting Hermione's life in danger. He understood that his father didn't know his feeling about the girl. He just wished his father did know about the dire infatuation he had for the one thing his father didn't agree with. 'Oh, how that would crush him' Draco thought Silently._

' _What would crush him more is if I told him and foiled his plans. Hmm, sounds like a great idea.' Draco silently smiled to himself as he quietly ate the last of his fettuccini._

 _Before Draco left the dinner table he turned to his father with a smirk and said, "By the way father I've decided to marry a mudblood in the future." And with that he turned his back ignoring the shades of red his father turned in frustration and anger._

…

 _Draco felt he had made the right choice by telling his house elf Dobby to make sure Harry Potter didn't return to Hogwarts._

" _Dobby, you must make sure Harry Potter doesn't go back to Hogwarts. I know my father is plotting against him and it will not be safe." Draco told Dobby who didn't need to be told twice._

" _I will handle it master Draco." Dobby said excitedly_

" _One more thing before you go Dobby…. You mustn't tell my father if you do he will more than likely kill you." Draco said Grimly._

" _You needn't worry about me Master. I have lived to serve at least one good person in this family. Thank you master for doing right. If I am doing right, then I don't fear death." Dobby said smiling as he snapped his fingers apperating to where Draco could only guess to be muggle London._

…

 _Draco had turned 13 over the summer and was excited to go back to school and be away from the grim lonely presence of his parents and the Manner. What Draco wasn't excited about was going back to a place where Harry Potter was the center of attention yet again and more importantly the center of Hermione's attention. Draco hated the thought of Harry being so close with the girl he fancied. He also hated the fact that Harry though he was above Draco for hanging out with those Weasley's. What do they have that he doesn't._

 _In Flourish and Blott's he grimaced down on the wrenched display as Gildaroy Lockhart dragged Harry up for more special treatment that would probably go to his stupid head. After Harry was done posing for The Daily Prophet he got free signed books from the celebrity._

 _Draco seen Harry begin to walk away and he took his chance he was about to put down his book on Basilisk's but seen something that might be of use to Hermione to keep safe from his fathers plans. He knew if he asked for the book it would be to suspicious, so he tore the page and shoved it in his pocket. Just as Harry became closer Draco rounded the corner quipped with snide remarks._

" _Bet you loved that Potter! Famous Harry Potter can't even go to a book store without making the front page!" Draco said with a sarcastic overtone._

 _Although before he could say anymore a tiny red head stepped forward with a forcible glare and a soot ridden face "Leave him alone." She said eerily._

 _That didn't scare Draco "Oh, look Potter, you got yourself a girlfriend." With a smirk and giggle at his dumbfounded angry face. 'Yup, he's playing right into my palm.' Just as Draco was beginning to unleash his pent-up anger at the Weasley's and Harry for always one upping him in the Hermione department he felt cold steel on his shoulder._

 _It was his fathers Wand that was sheathed to look like a cane and he heard his fathers voice saying "Now, now Draco play nicely." As he pushed his son aside Lucius Malfoy gazed down at Harry._

" _Mr. Potter, Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last; forgive me, your scare is legend. As of course is the wizard who gave it to you." Lucius said in an amazed tone pulling Harry closer to view his scar._

" _Volemort killed my parents, he was nothing more than a murderer." Harry said yanking himself from Lucius's grip. In the meantime, I was enjoying standing next to Hermione even if it wasn't under the right circumstances and she hated me._

" _Hmm, you must be very brave to mention his name. Or very Foolish?" Lucius smirked and without a second of lean way Hermione piped up._

" _Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing it's self."_

" _And you must be miss Granger. Yes, Draco's told me all about you, and your parents. Muggles, aren't they?" Lucius said glancing at Draco then at her parents. Really Draco never spoke a word about Hermione's parents that was a conclusion Lucius came up with from Narcissa whom inquired the information through motherly gossip from Blaise Zabini's mother. Hermione was something scared to him that he would never share with his judgmental father. Hermione then glanced at her parents and returned her gaze to the man before her._

 _Lucius then continued looking around the group "Let me see, red hair, vacant expressions, tatty second-hand books. You must be the Weasley's." Then interrupted by an older red-haired wizard._

" _Children, its mad in here. Let's go outside!" The older redhead smiled._

" _Well, well, well Weasley senior." Lucius greeted in a high and mighty voice._

" _Lucius" The older Weasley not so much greeted but acknowledged._

" _busy time at the ministry Arthur. All those extra raids, I sure hope they're paying you overtime but by the state of this I'd say not." Lucius said with a raised eyebrow._

" _What's the use in being a disgrace to the name Wizard if they don't even pay you well for it." The blond man smiled triumphantly._

" _We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of Wizard, Malfoy." The soot covered Arthur Weasley said._

" _Clearly." Lucius spat bitterly but continued "Associating with muggles" Lucius put Ginny Weasley's book back but Draco clearly see's another one hidden behind it. He knows what that book is and then feels pity on the girl. "And I thought your family could sink no lower…. I'll see you at work." And with that he turns to leave._

 _Draco takes his chance for one last quip at Harry "I'll see you at school." He mimics his father by turning and walking away._

… _._

 _This class began with the tapping or a wand on a pot and Professor Sprout saying, "Good morning everyone!"_

 _The class Cheerfully replied, "Good morning Professor Sprout!"_

" _Welcome to Green House Three Second Years! Today we are going to repot mandrakes! Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" Professor sprout asking in a lectural tone. And without a sliver of time Hermione's hand flew up in the air. Draco thought that her persicion was both cute and annoying but he didn't comment on it this time. Professor sprout pointed and knodded while saying "Yes miss Granger."_

 _Hermione smiled nervously and began to speak "Mandrake or Mandragora is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous, the mandrakes cries fatal to anyone who hears it."_

" _Excellent! 10 points to Gryffindor!" Professor Sprout smiled around the table. Now Draco harbors feelings for Hermione but also harbors feelings of competition and anger towards Harry and Ron. When he looks over at their reaction he's disgusted. They're excited that Hermione got them ten points and it makes Draco angry. 'Snap will probably give me points this week.'_

" _Now as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings; their cries won't kill you yet but, they can knock you out for several hours which is why I have given each of you a pair of ear muffs for oratory protection. Please put them on right away! Quickly, flaps tucked tight down and watch me closely." Professor sprout said as she was doing it to give an example. "You Grasp your mandrake firmly and pull it sharply out of the pot!" She said yanking it and letting this ugly root like creature with some sort of plant for hair dangle and make the most revolting noises for a firm 10 seconds before she put it a new pot. "Dump it down into the other pot and pour a little sprinkling of soil in to keep him warm." Although before Professor sprout could continue a chubby buck tooth child fell back and hit the floor. She sighed before she continued and the began "Longbottoms been neglecting his earmuffs."_

 _The boy standing beside him who Draco recognized as Seamus Finnigan, the boy who was continually blowing things up said, "No ma'am, I think he's just fainted!" In a slight Scottish accent and glanced back down at the boy Draco heard Crab just tell Goyle his name was Neville Longbottom. Draco honestly felt fairly amused by this that he forgot about the 10 points Gryffindor obtained._

" _Yes, well, just leave him there." Professor Sprout concluded as Seamus' eyebrows shot up in disbelief but silently took one look at his friend and continued to follow instructions. Draco was having a ball because Hogwarts never ceases to amaze him. With a smirk he continued to listen to Professor Sprout's instructions._

" _As I said, grasp your Mandrake and pull it up!" Professor Sprout instructed, and the class complied. Draco was still in a chipper mood, he tickled his plant in a taunting fashion until he brought his finger to close to his mouth and got bitten. Now livid again Draco was so done with this class he spent the rest of it making sure he didn't kill the bloody thing but quickly took his exit when dismissed._

…

 _In the great hall Draco then seated in his respective table to eat with Crab and Goyle when he was interrupted by Marcus flint. This was a huge surprise because Flint was a 6_ _th_ _year and never usually paid attention to first years. "Oy, Malfoy I have received a letter from your father and he told me that if I put you on the team we will all receive the new Nimbus 2001. I will start training you to be our new seeker since Higg's has graduated."_

 _Draco was about to open his mouth to say of course he'd practice and become the seeker what an honor but then over flints shoulder he seen this old ruffled barn owl flop right into a bowel of potato's and he couldn't help but laugh. Almost everyone at the Slytherin table began to speculate and laugh as well as the owl then hopped over Ron Weasly. We were all about to begin talking again when we heard Finnigan say "Look everyone! Weasley's got himself a howler!"_

" _This should be good!" Draco said as we all continued to watch and laugh as he opened the red paper._

 _Without a second after he opened the red letter it turned it's self into a mouth and flouted in the air straight above Weasley's face and projected it's voice as loud as a paper mouth could which apparently was loud enough for an entire great hall to hear. "RONALD WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU TAKE THAT CAR! I am ABSOULUTLY DISGUSTED, your father is now facing an inquiry at work and it is INTIRLY YOUR FAULT! If you put another toe out of line we'll bring you STRAIGHT HOME!... Oh and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor, your father and I are so proud!" With that the paper shredded it's self up in Ron's face and Draco was done speculating on the weird family or red heads that he simply couldn't understand._

 _Returning his attention back to Flint with his Malfoy charm and charismatic voice he began "Yeah I'll be your seeker if that's what you're asking Flint." And without saying a work Flint nodded returning to his seat with the rest of the 6_ _th_ _years. Draco then smiled triumphantly as Crab, Goyle, Blaise and Parkinson all gloated over him._

…

" _Let me present you to your new Defence against the Dark Arts Teacher, me! Gildaroy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, 3_ _rd_ _Class, honorarly member of The Dark Force Defence League, and five times winner of Witch Weekly's most charming smile award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the band and banchee by smiling at them. He he he." Professor Lockhart said grinning almost stupidly. He continued by looking around the room "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books! Well done! I thought we'd start today with a little quiz!"_

 _Draco rolled his eyes at the fact that there was a quiz on the first day then he saw the first student Lockhart passed them to. Hermione was fluttering her eyes at him with her cheeks flushed and smiling like a fool. Something flustered with in the young blond that he knew all to well, jelousy. That was when Draco completely tuned out until that is he saw the Pixies. That was a traumatizing mess that Draco never wanted to re-live! The whole class vacated the room after Neville was hoisted in the air._

…

 _As soon as Draco had the time he went to the library and put the paper he ripped out of the book about basilisk's in "Hogwarts a History." He knew this was Hermione's favorite book because she always uses it as a reference in class and see's her reading it 50 million times a year. Just as Draco sat down to study and he heard her speaking to Madam Pince. She began walking towards the shelf with all the history books and Draco felt a sense of accomplishment. Then out of no where Ginny Weasley ran up to her and they began a conversation._

 _Draco's heart sank, and he thought quickly to come up with a distraction for the tiny red headed girl. Finally, he came up with something he thought may be fool proof. He seen where he put the Hogwarts a History book, unfortunately it was right in between the two girls. He sucked up his courage and strides over. He stood they're patiently waiting for them to move but they didn't seem to notice him at all._

" _I don't know how I'll get Harry to notice me." The she-Weasley said in a shushed tone._

" _You just need to be the bold self you are when he's not around." Hermione encouraged as Draco raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. Both the Gryffindor girls spun around, Ginny Blushed and Hermione just had a stunned look on her face._

" _What do you want Malfoy." Ginny said in a tone that was rather superior for a first year. Draco reached past the girls slowly turning fully away from Ginny to look at Hermione. He kept eye contact with her whilst he grabbed Hogwarts a History. She blushed, and Draco wasn't surprised because though he was a second year he was older and handsome._

 _He smirked at her Reaction then bends over to her ear and says in a husk tone "I think you've read this book enough times Granger. How about you let the rest of us have a turn, princess." He meant princess sarcastically but the look on her face was priceless. He locks eyes with her one more time and the was interrupts by a certain short red head._

" _Ew stop molesting her ear." Ginny said as he stepped back but what they didn't realise was that as Malfoy was decoying their attention with his flirtatious behaviour he got close enough to slip the paper about Basilisk into her pock._

 _He nodded at Hermione noting the flustered look on her face. 'Ha. Beat that Gaydaroy' "Catch you around Hermione." He said. He then turned his attention to the short Weasley beside him and nodded his head "Weasley." He said and walked to check out the book._

 _As he was walking away he heard the she Weasley ask Hermione "What was that?!"_

 _And Hermione replied, "He called me Hermione."_

…

 _The Slytherin team started to approach the Quidditch pitch when Draco saw her she was sitting next to the Weasel. They locked eyes for a moment and he ran into his team mate in front of him because they had stopped. He looked over the shoulders of his team mates to see the Gryffindor team all dressed up and was un aware that it wasn't their day for Quidditch because Flint has his own agenda._

" _Where do you think you're going Flint?" The Gryffindor Captain asked._

" _Quidditch Practice." Marcus said in a casual tone._

" _I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today." Said Wood_

" _Easy wood, I've got a note" Marcus said handing Oliver a note._

 _He snatched the note and began to read aloud "I professor Severus Snape do here by give the Slytherin team permission to practice today owing to the need to train their new seeker….. You've got a new seeker? Who?" Woods pried. And as he said that the Weasley and Hermione came over right when they stepped aside to display Draco._

" _Malfoy." Harry exclaimed in disgust._

" _That's right and that's not all that's new this year." Draco said in accomplishment as he put the broom in front of himself for display._

" _Those are Nimbus 2001's, how did you get those!" Ron asked in astonishment._

" _A gift from Draco's father." Flint piped up knowing that Draco was feeling uncomforatable with the situation._

" _You see Weasley unlike some, my father can afford_ _ **the best.**_ _" Draco said with spite._

" _At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in, they got in on pure talent." Hermione stepped in to defend her friend with a glare on her face._

 _That when it happened. The moment Draco knew he'd never have a shot with Hermione Granger. The biggest mistake of his life. In a fit of anger, he looked directly at Hermione with the intent to hurt and he knew this was were his worst self came out because it always does. If only she knew how much he wanted her and her friends to like him then he said it "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mud blood!" And it was all written in stone, from the look on her face to the feeble attempt her friend tried to make to defend her. Things will never go as Draco wants them because yet again he doesn't know how to suppress his frustration towards the boy who lived._


End file.
